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Athletes' foot is a common problem. It flourishes in tennis shoes with hot and sweaty feet.

One of the first things you should do is treat your shoes. You don't want to re-infect your feet with fungi filled shoes. Wipe down the inside of the shoe with vinegar. Fill knee high nylons with kitty litter and tie off the sock. Put the knee high inside of the shoe. It absorbs the extra moisture and odor. Put the sock in every time you take the shoe off for the day.

It's a good idea to changes shoes at least once a day. Most experts suggest that shoes receive a day of rest before wearing them again. Looking at the math, each person should have at least four pair of shoes to swap out.

There are medications to rid you of athletes' foot. They work. What are some of the less traditional way of ridding yourself of athletes' foot?

*Boric acid
Wash the feet daily in a mild solution of boric acid for two weeks.

*Honey
Rub raw honey over the feet. Cover with a cotton sock and leave on overnight. Scrub clean in the morning. Continue the process for two weeks.

*Alcohol
Dilute rubbing alcohol and blot the affected areas with a cotton ball. Repeat the process twice daily.

*Ginger
Ginger is known to be a strong anti-fungal. Boil one cup of water and add one ounce of freshly chopped ginger. Allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes and then apply to feet twice daily.

*Apple Cider Vinegar
Mix half water and half vinegar. Soak feet in this mixture ten minutes a day for two weeks.

*Cinnamon
Cooking up a cinnamon bath can fill your house with a great aroma. Bring 6 cups of water to a hard boil. Add 10 chopped cinnamon sticks, reduce the heat and simmer for approximately five minutes. Remove and steep covered for 45 minutes. Use as a foot bath daily for two weeks.

*Salt
A simple solution of eight teaspoons of salt to 4 parts of warm water makes a good soaking solution. The salt kills the fungus. Again use this bath daily for two weeks.

*Onion juice
Sometimes it seems the stronger the smell, the better the cure! Apply onion juice twice daily.

*Chaparral
My friends mentioned that this solution is a waste of alcohol. Then again, perhaps they have never been burdened with itchy, burning, cracked feet. Do not use an aluminum pan on this little project. Mix six tablespoons of dried chaparral to one quart of boiling whiskey. Reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and steep for eight hours.

*Bleach
Make a solution of cup of laundry bleach to a gallon of warm water and soak your feet for 10 15 minutes twice a day.

There are many answers and the key to them all is consistency. You have to use them for a full two weeks if you truly expect results. It's been my experience you should then do them at least once a week for maintenance purposes.

Clean shoes and socks mean happy feet. Dry your feet whenever you soak them or they get wet. Try them all and have some fun.

Learn more about this author, Trenna Sue Hiler.
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